Aztec Eternals

Darkness spreads across the hall, bringing a deadly silence. Shadows hit the heart and fell on the face, making the face blurred. Only two pairs of old and deep eyes remained, staring at each other in silence.

"Clang, clang..."

Soon, two elder guards walked in with short soldiers. They took out the fire, lit the candles under the frescoes, bowed respectfully, and backed out silently. The candles lit up and fell on the two white-haired old men, pulling out long, deep shadows. The real shadow, Chevali, stood beside the two, holding a clay pot in one hand and a copper axe in the other.

Silence spreads, silence is silence. The elder lowered his eyes, his face was calm, and he waited patiently. There was no killing intent on his face, nor any urgency. He just smiled calmly, as if he was still recalling that long and real dream.

The high priest closed his eyes, and many memories came to his mind. There are deceased fathers and grandparents, deceased wives, deceased children, and there is hope for continuation. The long time, flowing in his heart, was like a peaceful river, making death dull.

He remembered his own boy. It was the three-state alliance that had just been established in the era of the first king, Isco Atel, and the capital city in the lake was just beginning to emerge. He remembered his youth and middle age. It was the time of the first emperor, Montezuma. Teotihuacan, which had experienced vicissitudes, was an ancient holy city that was gradually restored. Then, he thought of his old age and the hope of growing up, from the precocious chick in the holy city, to the young feather growing up in the capital, to the eagle spreading its wings in the west! ... Gradually, the smile floated up to the corner of his mouth, and it bloomed recklessly.

After a long time, the high priest straightened his spine. For the first time, he looked at the elder and nodded slowly with the same majestic gesture.

"Can!"

Hearing this, the elder opened his eyes. He looked at his nephew, looked at the calm and calmness of the other party in the face of death, and smiled with relief and satisfaction.

"Okay! Shuter, you didn't disappoint me."

The high priest looked calm, nodded, and did not speak. He looked at Chevalli beside him, at the small clay pot, and waited peacefully for death. He had long known what was in the other party's pot.

There was a smile on the corner of the elder's mouth. He looked at the high priest's expression and whispered faintly.

"My child, not now, not here."

"Huh? Elder?..."

Hearing this, the high priest was slightly startled. The calm on his face was finally broken, showing a little surprise.

"Shuttle, I won't live too long, but I can delay it for two more days."

The elder smiled indifferently and said frankly about life and death.

"Your body won't survive for two years, but you can still travel far."

"Ok."

The high priest was silent, waiting for an answer, an answer about death.

"Before returning to the divine tree, don't you want to see that child again?"

The elder smiled kindly and asked calmly.

The high priest's expression changed suddenly, and a little light gradually lit up in his heart.

"what do you mean?..."

"Only the two of us are on the road, and it is inevitable that we will be a little deserted. In this world, there are too many old guys who don't want to leave, occupying too much power..."

The elder smiled, his expression gentle and calm. At this moment, he was like a kind-hearted old man, holding a broom called Death in his hand, hoping to clean the house.

"The holy city of Cholula, the family of twelve priests, has lasted for too long... let's take them with us!"

"Take them, together?"

Hearing this, the high priest suddenly laughed. His smile is pure and clean, like a hard-working child who also wants to clean the house.

"Yeah. The holy city of Cholula is where the hearts of the world are. There is no big reason, and children are always difficult to do."

The elder nodded with a smile, the corners of his mouth twitched. He thought of the familiar old people in Cholula, and he really missed it.

"There are just a few days left, we make a death agreement. I let you go, go to see the child first, then go to Cholula City, and catch up with the old guys... Their magic smoke is good, burning The incense is good, the potion is good, you can enjoy a or two...then, you can leave there!..."

"Leave there?"

The high priest narrowed his eyes, thought for a while, and nodded in agreement.

"It turns out...that's not bad!"

"Well. I'll let Shadow Chevalli, with you, leave the lake capital."

The elder commanded calmly. This is a guarantee and a contract. Of course, form outweighs reality.

"...You leave for two days, and when the shadow returns, I will come."

"Ha, the promise of death!..."

The corners of the high priest's mouth lifted. He looked at the elder's face and asked with a smile.

"Elder, don't you worry if you let me go?"

"Shuttle, my child, I believe in you."

The old man's eyes were deep, with an indifferent smile.

"After I leave, the balance of power in the alliance will be disrupted. If you don't want to see your children make mistakes, you will make choices."

"Indeed. After the warm sun goes down, the cold darkness comes. Some things are inevitable..."

The high priest thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. With the plan of the elders, he will not leave behind countermeasures. The food route of the South Route Army is all in the hands of the capital city in the lake. And if he leaves the capital city in the lake, most of the influence he can exert will be lost... Now, it's not time for Xiuluo to take the position.

"Forget it! With my body, there is no need to live for another year or two."

The high priest smiled relievedly, stretched out his hand again, and put on a venerable crown of feathers, covering his silver-white hair.

"Elder, then we have agreed to meet at the Divine Tree!"

"OK!"

The old man smiled happily. It was the first time in many years, and it would be his last. He smiled and stretched out his hand, holding the high priest's arm, the same skinny and old.

"For the Alliance."

Hearing this, the high priest shook his head and answered solemnly.

"No, for my grandson."

"It doesn't matter. Your grandson is the future of the Alliance."

The elder promised calmly.

"I will leave a will and leave it in his hands."

Hearing this, the high priest paused and nodded.

"Good! The Lord God bless!"

At this moment, a rare devotion appeared on the face of High Priest Shuter. He seldom prayed like that, but now he was full of hope.

The elder was slightly startled. After being silent for a while, he responded softly, and for the first time, he prayed devoutly to the gods he had created with his own hands.

"The Lord God bless!"

The two old men lowered their eyes and prayed for a few breaths at the same time. Then, the high priest stood up, looked at the elder deeply for a while, and asked the last question.

"Elder, after I leave, who will take over as the high priest?"

"Ugel."

"Ugel?..."

"Well. In the past few years, the pace of religious reform has gone too far. The power of the priests is also too great. After we leave, we don't need strong changes, and we don't need to move forward... Take a break and wait for a generation."

"...it is good!"

The high priest was silent for a moment, bowed his head, and gave a solemn salute.

The elder smiled and nodded slightly as a return gift.

Then, the high priest turned away and did not stay any longer. And behind him, followed by a silent shadow, disappeared together in the dark corridor.

The elder watched for a moment, smiled calmly, and closed his eyes. The deep dark sea struck again, swallowing his heart into it, bringing with him an inescapable dream. Then, a faint light lit up on the divine tree in the dream, slowly guiding him to the end of eternity.